K-pop’s growing global clout has led to anxiety in South Korea about the genre straying from its roots. The return of super boyband BTS after a three-year hiatus has put paid to that charge — at a time when the homegrown music and cultural industries need it most to build traction abroad.

On Saturday, the seven-member group kicked off a yearlong tour of five continents in support of its Arirang album, released the day before, with a free concert livestreamed by Netflix Inc. From the performance’s location at the historic Gwanghwamun Square in the heart of Seoul to their outfits by independent Korean designer Songzio to the record title, a beloved folksong that is the country’s informal national anthem, the performers explicitly highlighted their heritage to the world.

© Bloomberg